Two-party system is leading to disaster

The Daily Herald declares, in a Sept. 1 editorial, "We believe in the two-party system.

The two-party system is not democratic and it has not served us very well.

Over the past decade, Democratic leaders signed on to much of the Bush agenda, endorsing the invasion of Iraq and blocking impeachment of Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney for serious violations of the U.S. Constitution and abuses of power.

Contrary to his antiwar image, Sen. Obama voted for more war funding as well as for reauthorization of the anti-constitutional Patriot Act and telecom immunity.

In his nomination speech, Mr. Obama's language on Iran, Russia-Georgia, Israel-Palestine, Afghanistan, energy and other major issues revealed that he has embraced Bush-Cheney imperial policies like preemptive attack and placing Iraqi oil resources under the control of US corporations.

Democrats mostly shied away from challenging the GOP on the latter's alleged election manipulations in the last two elections. Meanwhile, Greens and Libertarians responded quickly to complaints from African-American and young voters and launched the recount efforts in Ohio and New Mexico in 2004.

The disastrous Bush Administration is the inevitable product of bipartisan politics.

The U.S. desperately needs a real opposition party. It's time for the presidential debates to include candidates like Green Party nominee Cynthia McKinney or important alternative views and ideas will be missing from the narrow two-party discussion.

Millions of Americans agree with us, especially in Illinois, where Green gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney drew over 10 percent of the vote in 2006. The only real democracy is multiparty democracy.

Scott McLarty

Media Coordinator

Green Party of the United States

Washington, D.C.